1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an electronic device including a touch screen and an operation control method thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic device which is capable of realizing functions of a touch screen and functions of a remote control at the same time, and an operation control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A basic operation of a remote control is to generate an infrared (IR) signal when a button is pressed, thereby controlling an external device. In addition, when the button is pressed for a long time, the remote control generates an IR signal repeatedly in order to change a channel or volume continuously. FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate such basic operations of a remote control. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, when the button is pressed (10), the remote control generates (15) an IR signal to transmit a command to an external device, thereby controlling the external device. When the button is released (30), no action is made. However, in the case when the button is released (30) after relatively quite a long time as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the remote control generates (15) an IR signal when the button is pressed (10), and then generates IR signals 25 repeatedly until the button is released (30).
Many devices adopt touch screens which enhance user convenience. For example, various devices such as mobile devices, computers, display devices having touch screens are being produced. In those devices adopting a touch screen, due to the nature of the touch screen, an action is made when an operation area of the touch screen is released. Thus, in the case of a remote control adopting a touch screen, there is a problem of not being able to realize both the functions of the remote control and the functions of the touch screen, since in the remote control, an action is made when an operation area is pressed, whereas in the touch screen, an action is made when an operation region is released.
FIGS. 1C and 1D illustrate such a problem which occurs when an action is made as a button is released in a remote control adopting a touch screen. In FIG. 1C, an action is made when the touch screen is released (60) not when the touch screen is pressed (40) according to the basic operation method of a touch screen. Here, the device is also a remote control adopting a touch screen, and thus, the action would generate (45) an IR signal to control an external device.
According to the above, even when the touch screen is pressed (40) for a long time in order to change a channel or volume continuously, only one IR signal would be generated (45) when the button is released (60), making it impossible to realize a continuous button inputting function, as shown in FIG. 1D.
On the other hand, if the remote control is set so that an action is made when the touch screen is pressed, in consideration of the above problem, another problem would occur, that is, the remote control would not be able to realize a flicking function or a dragging function which are basic operations of a touch screen.